Author's Note: A close friend of mine, Professor Kaerd, has kindly agreed to assist in writing these entries. This entry, and any future ones marked as such, have only minor edits from me; his unique writing style shall be preserved largely untouched. As you will no doubt agree, I could not ask for a better co-author.
#041
Names
Zubat (proper name)
Zubat (distinctive name)
Bat Pokémon (descriptor name)
Typing
Poison/Flying
Range
Literally almost everywhere that there are caves. They appear to have been partially pushed out by Woobat in Isshu-Unova, but populations still thrive in some sewer systems.
Habitat
Caves and man-made structures. Zubat's ability to colonize even the most remote caves is legendary. A recent discovery in Hoenn found that undersea caves with no known exit to the surface to be inhabited by Zubat.
Egg Groups
Flying
Difficulty Ratings
Location Difficulty: 1. In caves or near them at night it's a bigger challenge to not find Zubat. They are somewhat harder to find captive bred, because they're often thought of as pests.
Acquisition Difficulty: 2. Zubat don't resist Poké Balls strongly and are not terribly resilient. They are very fast though, and well known for moves that cause confusion.
Ownership Difficulty: 4. Zubat are socially needy and can be difficult to get to work with a daytime schedule. Some Zubat may also need to be trained out of vampirism.
Diet
Zubat do well on an insectivore mix designed for flying types, though they have high metabolisms and you may be surprised at how much they eat. They are also very fond of fruit and berries, though they won't eat a dried mix of them. Wild caught individuals will enjoy an occasional raw and bloody piece of meat, though it isn't recommended that you get hand raised individuals started on blood.
Physical Description
Small, blue, eyeless bat-like creature with a round body and large ears. They have long legs which do not end in distinct feet. The underwing and inside of the ears are a dark purple. They have a large mouth which rarely shuts with four visible fangs. Males' fangs are noticeably larger than females'. Average size 2 feet 7 inches (0.8 meters). Cry: Squawky, birdlike "Aww-weeawh!"
Shiny Coloration: The body fur shows a dark green color. Ears and underwings become a light pink.
Abilities
Inner Focus: Most Zubat have an inborn ability to take hits without falling out of the air, as they're largely helpless on the ground. In battle this means that they'll never flinch away from attacks.
Infiltrator: A rarer ability, some Zubat have a unique echolocation system which allows them to see energy barriers. This lets them find gaps that not even the creatures generating them are aware of and land attacks unaffected by them. This also allows them to see through the popular competitive move Substitute.
Behavior
Zubat live in large colonies in the wild, spending the day sleeping in crowding spaces in caves and dense trees. At night swarms of them spread out over the countryside and devour massive amounts of insects from the air. They also typically eat fruit and some types of vegetable, making them an agricultural pest. Zubat in mixed colonies with Golbat may also target sleeping Pokémon for vampirism. They are extremely social and spend much of their resting time engaged in social grooming and play. It's rare to see Zubat alone at any time.
Zubat defend themselves primarily with attacks that cause confusion, relying on that to keep their opponent from effectively attacking while using hit and run tactics with relatively weak moves. At higher levels they can attack from a distance with Swift and Air Slash, and develop dangerous poison moves. Most of this is used allow them to escape or harass larger Pokémon while flock-mates escape. This emphasis on confusion and running battles may be why they've been so consistently adopted as the Pokémon of choice for criminal organizations.
Proper Care
Zubat are very social and will want attention at all times. They want someone to hang out with them at night and normally awaken temporarily throughout the day to socialize momentarily. They are best kept in pairs or with other Pokémon that share their nocturnal lifestyle. They often become quite dependent on trainers for companionship. They are also very high energy and should be allowed time outside on a walk or around a yard at least once nightly.
Zubat don't have complex housing needs, usually sleeping on a hanging perch if kept outside the Poké Ball. They'll need this to be in a darker room, either windless or with drawn shades. Be aware that they see entirely with echolocation and what that can mean. Certain objects that scatter sound or are too soft to reflect it can play havoc with them. Particularly thin netting, which is invisible to them, and thin metal object like tinfoil, which scatters sound and can make them unable to see anything in the area, are hazards that could cause them to crash and hurt themselves.
Notes
While Zubat are blind, they aren't entirely eyeless. Their undeveloped eyes are under a thin layer of skin and are capable of discerning light levels even if they can't properly see. Their skin is also sensitive to direct sunlight, as they sunburn rather easily through their thin fur.
Zubat's legs are stronger than they look, and lined with stiff, hooked hairs that help them hang on branches or cave ceilings. While they can't be used to walk, they are able to curl them under themselves to spring, almost grasshopper-like, back into the air if they fall to the ground.
While Zubat are very numerous, they face many threats in the wild including heavy poaching, pesticide poisoning, and many cruel methods of repelling them from agricultural areas. This may be responsible for the unusual aggression often shown to trainers entering cave systems.
#042
Names
Golbat (proper name)
Golbat (distinctive name)
Bat Pokémon (descriptor name)
Typing
Poison/Flying
Range
Most cave systems, though somewhat less likely to live near human settlements.
Habitat
Caves and abandoned human buildings.
Egg Groups
Flying
Difficulty Ratings
Location Difficulty: 3. Common, but somewhat limited to cave systems that are further into the wilderness.
Acquisition Difficulty: 5. While not unusually strong or resistant to Poké Balls, their speed and ability to confuse other Pokémon are now backed up by some muscle.
Ownership Difficulty: 6. Golbat are generally cooperative and easy to get along with if you can keep up with their massive appetite. General allowances for large, flying Pokémon need to be made and they can be difficult to keep inside. Note that wild-caught Golbat will be used to a diet at least partially blood-based and may see humans as prey items. Wild-caught Golbat are only recommended for experienced trainers.
Diet
Large quantities of insectivore chow. It is recommended that Golbat have access to a body of water in can fly over at night to supplement its diet with wild insects. Wild-caught Golbat will appreciate bloody steaks, but don't start a hand-raised one on the habit unnecessarily.
Description
Large, blue bat with a round body. Mouth takes up the entirety of its body when open; very long, very wide tongue. Large eyes and small pointed ears top its head. Large wings with purple underwing. Small, strong legs with two-toed feet. Average size 5 feet 3 inches (1.6 meters). Cry: High-pitched "Awwweewhah!"
Shiny Coloration: The body fur shows a dark green color. Ears and underwings become a light pink.
Abilities
Inner Focus: Golbat retain their earlier stage's ability to take hits without flinching despite being much more mobile on the ground.
Infiltrator: Despite not relying nearly as much on echolocation as its first stage, they still retain the ability to sense energy fields.
Behavior
Like Zubat, Golbat are social and rarely seen alone. They hunt insects and small night birds after dark and generally return to caves to sleep during the day. Unlike Zubat they can also walk on the ground and have been known to creep up on unsuspecting prey on the ground. Golbat are far more likely than Zubat to switch to a vampiric diet and can be extremely dangerous in areas where flocks have largely turned to this feeding method. They can drink enough in one sitting that they cannot fly afterward.
Proper Care
Golbat are very social and love physical contact. Don't be surprised to find them climbing in your lap to watch TV or following you into bed. Because they can walk and properly see, they have a much easier time moving around indoors and will generally be good household companions. They are still nocturnal and dislike being in the sun, though they'll adjust their schedules over time as long as they're inside. They need a sturdily anchored hanging perch and access to the outdoors at night. Other nocturnal Pokémon are recommended to be kept with them if you can't be around for much of the night.
It is not recommended that a Golbat be allowed out unsupervised and they should be wearing tags and a lighted or reflective object that identifies them as a tame Pokémon when outside. Many communities near wild colonies will actively harass or attack a Golbat believed to be wild, and it isn't unheard of for farmers to use significant force to keep them away from livestock.
Notes
Golbat typically attack with their confusion causing moves, generally Confuse Ray by the time they've evolved. They can attack at all ranges with a variety of moves, but their Poison Fang is dangerous at close range. Like Zubat, they typically fight only to defend their caves and to help flockmates escape if they're attacked while feeding. A Golbat that's too full to fly can be a vicious opponent, as they become desperate when stuck on the ground.
Individuals of this species must be registered with your local government office.
#169
Names
Crobat (proper name)
Crobat (distinctive name)
Bat Pokémon (descriptor name)
Typing
Poison/Flying
Range
Rare but present in most areas with significant colonies of Zubat and Golbat. No known sighting in Isshu-Unova.
Habitat
Crobat live anywhere there are significant populations of Zubat and Golbat. They appear to live almost exclusively with large flocks.
Egg Groups
Flying
Difficulty Ratings
Location Difficulty: 7. Low population density, but they aren't an uncommon sight. They tend to appear in any area they live in if local Zubat or Golbat are harassed.
Acquisition Difficulty: 9. Crobat are generally territorial flock leaders for their colony. They will often challenge trainers threatening their flocks, but rarely alone. Bring something capable of clearing numerous flock mates if you want to catch one.
Ownership Difficulty: 6. Crobat are calm and friendly. The difficulty is their size, speed, and special housing needs.
Diet
Insectivore chow and fresh fruit. Crobat have a very high metabolism and eat a lot for their size. Crobat almost never feed vampirically, even if they did so heavily as a Golbat.
Description
Large, egg-shaped bat with yellow eyes and long ears. Possesses four wings and small, legless feet. Its colors are inverted from its earlier forms, making it mainly purple with blue underwings. Average size 5 feet 11 inches (1.8 meters). Cry: Strong "Aww-wheeeeeewh!"
Shiny coloration: A pink body with green wings.
Abilities
Inner Focus: Crobat will power through hits like a champ.
Infiltrator: Crobat with this ability dodge through barriers and land hits like they weren't even there.
Behavior
Lives with large colonies of Zubat and Golbat in the wild. Colonies tend to produce one Crobat per every few hundred members. Crobat typically leave the roost early and scout areas for high concentrations of insects using their incredible speed, then report back to the colony to lead their flock there. Crobat are primarily insectivorous and use their immense speed to scoop up insects at an incredible rate. They are also less nocturnal than their colonies and have been known to fly night and day for several days straight in order to locate new places to colonize. Crobat are almost never vampiric, though their fangs are still sharp and dangerous.
Proper Care
Crobat are headstrong but responsible, and make good companions. One of their main problems is that they're often overly protective, as their natural role is of a guardian of a flock. They can have problems with new people or Pokémon, but it should be relatively easy to overcome them. Since Crobat evolve based on emotional bonds, most trainers that have one should already have the rapport necessary to help them through getting to know new friends.
The first thing to note is that while Crobat has six limbs, it no longer has proper legs. While it can crawl on its wings, it won't do so willingly. This basically means it can't enter most houses. It also poses a problem with housing outside a Poké Ball, as it will need a perch in a sheltered place that it can enter by flying. A garage or large shed with the doors open will do, or a barn if one is available.
Notes
Crobat are great fighters and are often sought after by competitive trainers. They are among the fastest of all Pokémon and can use that to great advantage in battle. Tactically, they rely on the same sort of moves as their earlier evolutions, with the notable addition of the hard hitting Cross Poison, which can be devastating at the speed Crobat can deliver it.
Crobat are believed to evolve in response to a certain level of community respect and admiration in the wild, leading to the most liked flock members evolving and becoming leaders. Flocks with Crobat leaders are far less likely to feed on blood, and it's believed by many naturalists that the extensive capture of fully evolved Pokémon in the wild may have led to the rise of routine vampirism in Zubat and Golbat flocks. This is another reason you should try and acquire one as a Zubat and raise it fully by yourself, to reduce the pressure on wild Crobat populations.
For Further Reading: They Are The Night by Professor Bruce Falke